START DATE
Jan 21 - Feb 18, 2021
WHEN
Thursdays
6:00 - 8:00 PM
LOCATION
Virtual
LENGTH
5 Weeks
COST
$195
scholarships available
Hear From Those Who Have Taken The Course
An Overview of the Course
REGISTRATION FOR THIS COURSE IS FULL
Sign up for our wait list to be notified when this course if offered again.
[wpforms id=”5703″ title=”false” description=”false”]
Who is it for?
This LEADING EDGE™ program is for any entrepreneur in the creative “maker” space, which includes designers, artists, musicians, photographers, fine artists, food and culinary arts, writers, and others.
What is the goal?
We want to equip you with the tools you’ll need to start and build a successful creative business. Unique challenges and opportunities warrant different strategies and conversations. In this series, we will dive into the issues that most frequently trip up creative entrepreneurs, such as:
- How do I price my product or service?
- How do I market my business without being too “sales-y”?
- How do I handle “no” and not take it personally?
You’ll gain the resilience, stamina, and mindset that you will need to build your creative business.
What Skills Will I Learn?
Mindset
Cultivate a growth mindset that encourages innovation, agility, resourcefulness, and managing expectations. Any small business has its shares of ups and downs – one’s mindset is a key defining factor behind successful, long-term business success.
Strategy
Define your goals, vision, and values. Getting clear on these aspects of your business that make you authentically you is essential to those running creative businesses. In business parlance, it’s called the “unique value proposition” . . . in this class, we call it being real.
Money
Your relationship with finances can make or break your business. Many creatives shy away from the topic, finding it difficult to marry the concept of currency with craft. We’ll challenge these assumptions and teach you how to price your product/service in a way that’s rational, not emotional. You’ll also learn the basics of budgeting and how to track your revenues and expenses in a way that works for you.
Marketing
If people don’t know about your business, how can you be successful? We’ll cover some basic marketing principles and decide what would be the ONE marketing step you can today to start on a path to building awareness and growing your customer base.
Pitch Your Idea/Product/Service
You’ll get the opportunity to share with the class your takeaway from the class – it could be a homepage for a new website, a Facebook business page, a video testimonial, or a new budget that reflects where you want to be in a year. You will get to hear from a supportive network of your peers and SBDC Consultants offering meaningful feedback and ideas to build your business.
Free Info Session
Dec 16, 12:00-12:30 PM
Meet your instructor, Angela Atkinson, Director of North Metro Denver SBDC. She will answer all your questions about the upcoming Creative Entrepreneurship Course.
CLASS FORMAT
We will meet virtually for five classes. Class size is limited to 12.
COST
$195 for the entire five-week course. Thanks to our generous sponsorship from the City and County of Broomfield, the cost to Broomfield-Eligible businesses and entrepreneurs is only $50. Inquire for details.
SCHEDULE
Jan 21 6:00 – 8:00 PM Class 1
Jan 28 6:00 – 8:00 PM Class 2
Feb 4 6:00 – 8:00 PM Class 3
Feb 11 6:00 – 8:00 PM Class 4
Feb 18 6:00 – 8:00 PM Class 5
While sessions will be recorded, we ask that you commit to attending each session.
TO APPLY
Space is limited in this program, so reserve your space now by either registering for the course or applying for a scholarship.
Meet Your Instructor
Angela Atkinson
Angela has a background in consulting to small businesses, nonprofits, and governmental entities. She has held leadership positions with nonprofit organizations and owned a consulting business providing mentorship in marketing, research, strategic planning and leadership development in Southwest Colorado for more than 15 years.
Angela has owned a photography/videography business, and knows firsthand the challenges of offering one’s “passion” project to the world as a business. A hard lesson learned was the folly of trying to go it alone, and the recognition that it truly takes a community to support the journey.
Angela holds a BA in English from Montana State University and an MBA from University of California – Berkeley. She’s also studied abroad and volunteered with international organizations assisting refugees.
APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM
To apply, we are asking for a 1-2 minute video where you tell us a bit about your business (either new or existing business) and what you hope to gain from this program.
Any video file format is acceptable, but your video must be limited to 2 minutes maximum length. Please just let your creativity shine through . . . .we are looking for authenticity, sincerity, and a commitment to growth – not perfection!